OttoMani (eight hands in Italian) is a new musical project that blends western contemporary music and Jazz with elements from traditional music from around the Mediterranean sea. The compositions are all written by Tolga During, a Dutch-Turkish guitarist who’s currently living in Italy. Although the music is meticulously arranged, there’s also much space for improvisation and interplay.

Press:

“Acoustic music with links to Jazz, contemporary and middle eastern music. The sound of Tolga’s guitar sometimes resembles that of an ud, reminding one of Renaud Garcia Fonds. The pieces are ambitious, well-worked compositions, that let the music breathe and in- vite us to a dreamlike travel. Tolga has a very natural, clear sound, and plays inspired im- provisations that are disciplined and deeply musical.” Francis Couvreux, Etudes Gitanes

“Tolga is a musician who combines a unique and arresting style with a masterful technique. His music is striking yet remains pure and uncluttered.” Turkish Daily News

Line up:

Francesco Ganassin: bass clarinet
Clarinetist, improviser and teacher. He plays, arranges and composes in many different artistic settings; from sonorized fairy tales to free improvisation, from folk to jazz. Since 2003 he played with Calicanto, one of the most popular folk groups in Europe, and from 2012 he is director and arranger of the Orchestra Popolare delle Dolomiti. He has given concerts throughout the whole of Europe and has made about twenty records.

Tolga During: guitar, fretless guitar
Was born in Istanbul in 1977 but grew up on a small island in the north of Holland. He made his debute in 1999 with the CD “Bohemia” opening doors to national and international jazz festivals like Montreux, Bansko, Pori and Terrassa. He kept developing his music and recorded nine more personal albums. For this project he uses a unique instrument built specially for him; an acoustic double neck guitar of which one of the necks is fretless.

Giuseppe Dimonte: double bass
Young bass player and composer, began studying classical music and then become passionate about jazz and contemporary music. Thanks to collaborations with different projects he has the opportunity to experience ethnic sounds and specializes in world music. Based in Bologna, he currently works with various groups in Italy and Europe.

Andrea Piccioni: framedrums, percussion
Is considered one of the leaders worldwide on Frame Drums and author of a technical and stylistic renewal on the Italian Tamburello, has crossed with his style on Tamburello and Frame Drums the boundaries of jazz, world, and early music. He toured worldwide with with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, Paul McCandless, Gianluigi Trovesi, Basel Rajoub, Luciano Biondini, Manfred Leuchter, Lucilla Galeazzi. He's also a popular teacher at major festivals, universities and conservatories around the world.